Emmanuel's story
Published in July 2026
At 42 years old, Turyatemba Emmanuel from Rusave Village, Nyundo Parish, Kisoro District, is living proof that lasting change begins with a change in mindset.
Not long ago, sanitation was never a priority in his home. Emmanuel believed building a proper pit latrine was a waste of money because he did not understand the link between sanitation and health.
I never knew poor sanitation affected our health, he says. I thought it was pointless to spend money on a place that stores human waste.”
PHOTO: Emmanuel’s old latrine/AWS/2025
His family’s pit latrine was unsafe, they had no bathroom shelter or handwashing facility, and diarrhoea had become a regular occurrence. Although Village Health Teams had repeatedly encouraged him to improve his sanitation, nothing changed.
Everything changed when Africa Water Solutions (AWS) conducted a triggering session in his village.
“It was like a light came on. I realised I was putting my family’s health at risk, and I decided things had to change," Emmanuel recalls.
PHOTO: 1 A Sato pan installed in Emmanuel’s new latrine, PHOTO 2: Emmauel’s wife using a tippy tap
Together with his wife, Selina, and their five children, Emmanuel transformed their home. They built a safe pit latrine, constructed a bathroom shelter, installed a handwashing facility, and embraced good hygiene practices. Today, diarrhoeal diseases are no longer part of their lives, and their home has become a model for other families in the community.
“I have changed, am a new man and my family is new.
Triggering sowed in me a seed that transformed me forever. I am an agent of change”
PHOTO: Emmanuel’s wife placing SODIS bottles on a rack
Like many families in Rusave, Emmanuel also struggled to access safe water, often walking long distances through the hills to collect it. Through AWS’s water intervention, his family now enjoys improved access to safe and clean water, giving them more time, better health, and a renewed sense of dignity.
Today, Emmanuel’s story is a reminder that sustainable change starts with a single decision. By changing one man’s mindset, AWS helped transform an entire family, and inspired a community to believe that a healthier future is possible.